Carrington MacDuffie gives an inspired narration of this sweeping Jewish-American family saga spanning the twentieth century. In the early 1930s, Belle, who is from a conservative family, marries Eastern European immigrant Isaac Kaplow. First-rate narration and descriptive writing combine to immerse the listener in the lives of Belle, Isaac, and their children, Sophy and Vivie, as they experience major historical events, including the Depression, WWII, the postwar Manhattan art scene, McCarthyism, and the Civil Rights movement. While the family has its successes and failures, they always look to the future while never forgetting their European Jewish heritage. MacDuffie's skilled pacing and expressive handling of dialogue illuminate the lives of an appealingly ordinary family that is living through extraordinary times.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2022
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798823407854
Publisher: Alison Larkin Presents
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ayla, one of the "others," is adopted by a clan of Neanderthal cave people. She struggles to conform to their ways, but her advanced human traits overwhelm and threaten their primitive culture in this initial installment of an immensely popular series. Although the story might benefit from abridgment, Rowena Cooper easily carries out the formidable task of enlivening the mostly silent and stereotypical characters with consistent, diverse personalities and human dimension. Through skillful phrasing and inflection, she maintains the reader's interest and suspense, especially with Ayla and her plight, throughout this rambling and imaginative story.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This lyrical, sensual novel of woman's lot in Manchu, China, is as well researched as it is well written. Authentic in tone, it's nonetheless written for Westerners by a Western expert on China. Moreover, Susan Clark performs the demanding text superbly, with only occasional signs of fatigue. For the most part she not only sustains the quaint diction and Asian atmosphere, but also, creates whole worlds with her voice. She acts the book, rather than reads it, and, in so doing, turns a pretty trifle into a stupendous beauty.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Literature
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
